UPDATE 2 - Ukraine claims Russia launched intercontinental ballistic missile on Dnipro

ADDS KREMLIN STATEMENT

By Burc Eruygur and Elena Teslova

ISTANBUL / MOSCOW (AA) - Ukraine on Thursday claimed Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on the city of Dnipro as the ongoing conflict between the two countries surpassed the 1,000-day mark.

A statement by the Ukrainian Air Force on Telegram said six cruise missiles were shot down by air defenses over Dnipro between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time (0300GMT and 0500GMT), one of which it claimed was an ICBM launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region.

“All the parameters: speed, altitude – match those of an intercontinental ballistic missile,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said in a video address to mark Day of Dignity and Freedom.

Accusing Russia of being “terrified,” Zelenskyy said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is using Ukraine as a “testing ground.” He said all expert evaluations to confirm the exact model of the missile are underway.

Commenting on Ukraine's claims, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow to redirect their inquiries on the matter to the Russian Defense Ministry, saying: "At the moment, I have no information on this topic."

The claims come after Ukraine's alleged use of US-made ATACMS and UK-made Storm Shadow missiles on Russian territory. Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied the claims.